Since joining an new group, I have run into an old problem. What to do when the coach has a workout designed that is something that it outside your swimming goals?
We are focused on Backstroke this week. Since it is highly unlikely that I will ever compete in Satan's stroke in an individual event other than surviving 25 to 50 yards/meters on a 200 IM, but I intend to compete in *** stroke, is it wrong to opt out and swim breastroke?
I opted out and swam breaststroke, working drills where drills were written, kicking where kicking was planned, and hammering the sprints when it was time to sprint.
Since I have aged up four brackets and will now compete in the 50-54 bracket, there are probably a finite number of swims that I have. I would rather focus on breaststroke where I am motivated and don't mind chasing the backstroke intervals.
Thoughts?
Don
If you want to be coached, I think it best to go along with the workout unless you have an injury that keeps you from doing what the coach suggests. Lots of top coaches have their freestylers train some backstroke as they believe it helps the swimmer's freestyle, so don't assume that it is a waste of time to train it, even if you don't race backstroke individually. Also, if it is a weak stroke for you, working it can only improve your I.M.
I agree. I'm not a backstroker by any means but I do it since it improves my feel in the water. I don't think any drills are harmful so why not do them?
My 2c. I'd say go ahead and do the workout as it was given unless you have a compelling reason (eg: injury, safety, interfering with other's workouts, set beyond current ability).
Good coaches are hard to find and many times they are in it for the satisfaction of improving the swimmers and being appreciated. I think it is demoralizing for a coach to go to time and effort designing a workout only to have swimmers blow it off to the detriment of their training. Negotiating every set wears them down too. If you have confidence in your coach's ability and you've discussed your goals and his philosophy, then do what he says.
It's more fair to the other swimmers too. Part of why people swim on a team is so they have teammates to train with, not just share a lane with. It's frustrating to be given a set you can beat people at only to have them bail or cheat on it.
Grumble and do what I am told.
I reckon the coach has more experience than me. And in most cases, they do since they swam at a higher level (Olympics, NCAA Division I, etc.) than I did.
Suck it up and be a man about it I say, even if it hurts a bit (a bunch?).
Do what you want... it is Masters.
As I often do in workout... I "take the option", which is usually more freestyle pulling, and less of everything else... pull free during IM sets... pull free during kick sets... whatever.
Masters is about having fun... so do what you need to keep coming back.
If your goal is to get faster, then adapt where/when you can.
Do what you want... it is Masters.
As I often do in workout... I "take the option", which is usually more freestyle pulling, and less of everything else... pull free during IM sets... pull free during kick sets... whatever.
Masters is about having fun... so do what you need to keep coming back.
If your goal is to get faster, then adapt where/when you can.
Couldn't agree more. I often follow the workout, and often don't. I never pull, so ignore all pulling sets. I do backstroke on freestyle sets sometimes. I swim with fins. We have people that do all freestyle. If you're not disrupting your lane or the practice, what's the big deal? (That said, I do my low yardage, anaerobic sprint or SDK type workouts solo. That would be too disruptive to do with the team.)
A few weeks ago, a lane mate asked me what I was doing on x set. I said, "I think I'll do the set." He said, "Well, aren't you miss goody two shoes." Most swimmers seem to adapt as they need to or prefer based on stroke preferences, injuries, meets coming up, etc. No one "disgrees" with or "negotiates" with the coach. We just do what we need to. The only thing frowned on is excess whining, whimpiness or loafing.
Rule number one is to respect the coach. You may have one goal in your mind but he/she has the long term view for everyone in the pool. With that said most coaches will allow swimmers to swim one stroke in place of another as long as it doesn't disrupt the other swimmers and as long as you can make the intervals. Also once the coach allows the swimmer to change the stroke or intervals that swimmer must make sure all his lane mates are willing to work with these changes.
For those who say this is masters do what you want, umm...that is what lap swims are for. My belief is that I'm paying my dues every month to have coached workouts. I might not understand why I'm doing this set today but down the line I hope I have gained something from it. After four years of masters swimming I'm just beginning to understand why I've been doing certain sets and thank the god I just shut up and did them all those swims.
I started the thread as we were into a week of backstroke drills. I last swam a competitive 100 backstroke about the same year my current masters coach was born. I have not felt the need or desire to swim backstroke other than in an IM since. Swimming back drills is not likely to improve my *** stroke or my fly, the events that I will swim.
The majority of my swimming career there were posted work outs. Not only were they posted, but at least half of the time they were split into training groups (sprinters, stroke, mid-distance, distance) with specific sets for each training group. The coach had copies of each and would watch specific sets in specific lanes, offering advice and encouragement as needed. We knew what came next, and which sets we were expected to hit the hardest.
Now it seems that we are to be kept in the dark and not allowed to know what the next set will be. Some of us have been swimming a sufficient period of time to know that we would probably get more from a set of 3 x 200 stroke descend than a surprise timed 1000 free.
I would like coaches to realize that we are not all either IMers or there to swim free. Some of us are there to focus on training a particular stroke.
I do enjoy working out in a group, with some one else pushing, keeping us honest on the intervals and to offer critique and encouragement. I enjoy chasing backstrokers on stroke sets.
Just want to have the chance to work on what I know I need to work on.
I started the thread as we were into a week of backstroke drills. I last swam a competitive 100 backstroke about the same year my current masters coach was born. I have not felt the need or desire to swim backstroke other than in an IM since. Swimming back drills is not likely to improve my *** stroke or my fly, the events that I will swim.
The majority of my swimming career there were posted work outs. Not only were they posted, but at least half of the time they were split into training groups (sprinters, stroke, mid-distance, distance) with specific sets for each training group. The coach had copies of each and would watch specific sets in specific lanes, offering advice and encouragement as needed. We knew what came next, and which sets we were expected to hit the hardest.
Now it seems that we are to be kept in the dark and not allowed to know what the next set will be. Some of us have been swimming a sufficient period of time to know that we would probably get more from a set of 3 x 200 stroke descend than a surprise timed 1000 free.
I would like coaches to realize that we are not all either IMers or there to swim free. Some of us are there to focus on training a particular stroke.
I do enjoy working out in a group, with some one else pushing, keeping us honest on the intervals and to offer critique and encouragement. I enjoy chasing backstrokers on stroke sets.
Just want to have the chance to work on what I know I need to work on.
Right, but part of the trade off of having the group is sometimes doing what you don't want to do because it is important to the other people in your group. I hate IM sets, and yeah sometimes I whine about them (though I am getting better at not doing that), but I would never say we should not do them--what about the IMers? I would rather put pins in my eyes than race a 4IM, but some of my besties are 4IMers, so I try to think of them as I suffer through.
Masters seems to have fewer coaches and fewer lanes per swimmer than age group or college teams, so you can't have all your training groups broken out. Oh well. Do your best. And if you need some extra breastroke, swim alone or talk to your coaches about doing more stroke choice sets.
That rant off my chest, what you choose to do when you don't like a set seems like it is a question of team atmosphere as much as anything else. Some teams are okay with people going nuts and doing whatever as long as people who want to swim the set as assigned are not impeded; others have a culture where barring injury you are expected to do the set as it is given or get out and be mocked by your teammates for wussiness. I've swam with both kinds, but I do swim on and prefer the latter. I like that everyone gets to have a set they are good at sometimes and get to watch people who cream them suffer. Every fly set we have, I get to remind myself it is hurting the nonflyers so much more. And then IM comes and I go at the end and someone else gets to feel awesome. To me, that is team in a way I really enjoy.
And lately we've been getting to split into distance and sprint once a week--because we asked. We showed we respected our coaches and their training and so they listened and now, instead of making up things to fit around the sets, we get the workouts we want. To me that is the better option. But if not, I could always swim on another team or alone.
